


Hot for Tutor

by Thatonegayone



Category: The Prom - Sklar/Beguelin/Martin
Genre: F/F, Fluff, in canon, peanut brittle (of course), what can I say? they have chemistry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-22
Updated: 2020-03-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:41:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23268631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thatonegayone/pseuds/Thatonegayone
Summary: “So, Alyssa, who do you have a crush on?”Alyssa blushed as Kaylee fluttered her eyelashes at her. “Kay, you know I don’t have time for that stuff. Mom is already getting on my case for scholarship applications, I don’t have time to even look at people, let alone have a crush on someone.” She tried to refocus on the book in front of her as Kaylee sighed in disappointment, and the library door opened to reveal the Nolans. As they walked in, Alyssa made eye contact with Emma, and she immediately glanced back down at her book to try and calm her racing heart.
Relationships: Alyssa Greene/Emma Nolan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 93





	Hot for Tutor

**Author's Note:**

> huge huge huge huge HUGE thank you to LaoisePotter for taking this and making it actually interesting and readable.

“So, Alyssa, who do you have a crush on?” 

Alyssa blushed as Kaylee fluttered her eyelashes at her. “Kay, you know I don’t have time for that stuff. Mom is already getting on my case for scholarship applications, I don’t have time to even look at people, let alone have a crush on someone.” She tried to refocus on the book in front of her as Kaylee sighed in disappointment, and the library door opened to reveal the Nolans. As they walked in, Alyssa made eye contact with Emma, and she immediately glanced back down at her book to try and calm her racing heart. 

This, sadly, didn’t go unnoticed by Shelby. “Liar, I see you smiling like an idiot.” She looked over her shoulder to see what Alyssa was looking at and immediately kicked her under the table. “Wait — it’s Nolan?” 

Kaylee gasped and turned around in her seat to see Emma and Greg move into the shelves. “No friggin’ way! Greg Nolan?” 

Alyssa watched the flash of flannel before it completely disappeared from view, not entirely listening to her friends. “Hmmm? Greg? Oh! Yes, Greg! He sure is...something.” 

“Oh god, you sound like your mother. ‘Sure is something’. Lyssa, you gotta start actually trying to have a social life after school.” Kaylee huffed before her eyes lit up like the fourth of July. “You should ask him out!” 

Alyssa did some mental gymnastics to see how she could get out of this. “Um.” But then it struck her — if she spent time with Greg, she could also find a way to spend some more time with Emma, and the thought of that was very appealing to Alyssa. She just had to be smart about it. “Fine. If it’ll get you two off my back, I’ll ask him out.” 

Alyssa grabbed her backpack and left her two best friends squealing at the table. She walked towards where the cousins were sitting in the stacks with their backs against the wall, reading the old magazines Miss Pritchett kept around for the odd history project. 

Emma was reading an old Better Homes and Gardens from the 70s while Greg was engrossed in one with James Dean smirking on the cover, a small blush feathering his cheeks. He was lost in whatever he was looking at, but Emma’s head snapped up to look at Alyssa as she walked towards them. Emma’s eyebrows raised as she watched Alyssa bend down to her and Greg’s level. 

“Hey Greg.” 

Greg jumped and nearly threw the magazine straight into Emma’s face with a yelp. “Ah! Oh, Alyssa. Hey! What’s up? Sorry, I was looking at some motorcycles.”  
Emma tried to hide a smile, but the corners of her mouth quirked up in a way that had Alyssa’s heart racing. 

“Oh, I was just wondering if you had your chem homework done,” Alyssa said, playing with the straps of her backpack and trying her absolute hardest not to look at Emma. “I need major help before the test next week and I know you’re good in class…” 

This was a blatant lie. Greg spent the majority of Chemistry looking at Kevin longingly or doodling in his notebook, but he did always seem to know what the teacher was saying, even if Emma was the clear mastermind behind her cousin’s success. Greg looked from Alyssa to Emma and back again with his mouth slightly open. “Oh — Uh. I mean… Em is usually the one who helps me with all my homework and studying and stuff. She’s really a great teacher.” 

Bingo. Alyssa gave her most winsome smile to the blonde. “Do you have space to take on another student, Emma?” 

Emma’s eyes grew wide and Alyssa could see the gears turning in her brain as she tried to come up with an answer. Greg saw the look of shock on Emma’s face and took pity on her, giving a smile to Alyssa and putting his arm around his cousin. “Emma would love to help you out! Do you want to meet us at our place after school today?” 

“Oh, I don’t have a car.” Alyssa said, rubbing the back of her neck as her mother’s voice echoed in her head. “Why would you need a car? You’re just going to sell it before you go to Harvard, so it doesn’t make any sense.” 

“Oh, don’t worry! Emma can drive. We have space in the truck, hope you don’t mind getting cozy though. We’ll have to be three in a row,” Greg said, nudging Emma with a grin. 

“That sounds perfect!” 

“Well, great! Meet us at the old pick up behind the band hall!” 

“See you there.” Alyssa got up and shouldered her backpack, throwing one last smile to the pair as she walked away. 

Classes flew by in a way that they never had before. Maybe it was because Alyssa had something she was actually looking forward to at the end of school, or it could have had something to do with the immense focus she had to have on what the teacher was saying so she didn’t keep looking over her shoulder at a certain blonde. 

The final bell rang and Alyssa bolted out of her geometry class and headed to the band hall. She realized that she made it across the entire school in under two minutes and there was no way that Emma and Greg would make it to the car that fast, so she dipped into the girl’s bathroom. Looking into the mirror, Alyssa found herself starting to panic. Should I put on lipgloss or something? Is my hair okay? Why did I decide to wear this stupid jacket today? Shit. Her inner monologue was interrupted by her phone vibrating. 

(Hey it’s Greg, we’re out here, are you coming?)

Alyssa read the text and sighed at the time stamp. She didn’t realize she had been staring at herself in the mirror trying to fix everything she saw for the past ten minutes. Sure enough, when she walked out of the bathroom, the halls were empty. Alyssa sighed again and took off in a light jog towards the Nolans in the truck. 

Greg sat in the middle of the truck bench, much to Alyssa’s dismay. She wanted to have an excuse to be as close as possible for Emma, to have some sort of physical connection with the blonde, even if it was just sitting next to her with the hope that the gentle rocking of the truck cab would cause their arms to brush with each bump in the road.

She was so lost in her thoughts that Alyssa hardly noticed when they pulled up to the Nolan Farm. 

It was quaint but homey. The wooden siding was painted a faded yellow and there were bushes of wild roses growing happily in the flower beds under the windows. To top it all off, there was a pie cooling on the ledge of an open window, adding to the idyllic picture that was the Nolan home. 

Greg and Emma padded into the house, yelling “Gran, we’re home!” in unison. Greg immediately dropped his bag and took off deeper into the house. Alyssa followed closely behind Emma as they walked down the hall towards the heavenly aroma of fresh-baked pie. 

The kitchen was small but warm and welcoming. Greg was already lounging in the breakfast nook on the window seat munching on an apple, and there was an older woman who was in the middle of saying something to him when Emma and Alyssa walked into the room. “Gregory, I swear to God if you don’t get those filthy shoes— Oh hello! I don’t think I’ve met you before!” 

“Hi, Mrs. Nolan, I’m Alyssa. Alyssa Greene.” Alyssa reached her hand out to shake Mrs. Nolan’s hand, only to be pulled into a hug by the woman. 

“Please, call me Betsy,” she said as she pulled back from the hug, both hands on Alyssa’s shoulders as she studied the brunette for a second. “So you’re one of Emma’s friends?” 

Emma tensed at her grandmother’s words, “No, she’s not—”

“I am!” Alyssa said, throwing a smile to a surprised Emma. “We’ve been in the same honors classes since Freshman year. Honestly, Emma’s the only person who has been giving me a run for my money for valedictorian.” 

“I’m right here.” Greg looked incredibly offended from his place in the window seat. 

“And Greg goes to school with us too.” Alyssa shrugged, which made Betsy laugh. 

“He does indeed.” She smacked Greg on the knee and gestured for him to put his feet on the ground. “Why don’t you two head upstairs? I’ll send Greg up with some pie in a bit. Do you like apple pie, Alyssa?” 

Alyssa nodded vigorously. She couldn’t remember the last time she had any sort of sugar in her life and was very much looking forward to the thought of pie. She opened her mouth to say as much when Emma suddenly grabbed her hand and the world slowed down.

Everything seemed to melt away the moment Emma touched Alyssa, and all that existed was the energy that raced through her senses. The way Emma’s hand felt around hers. The slight hitch in Alyssa’s breathing that she hoped no one had noticed. The soft warmth that was slowly growing through Alyssa’s body starting from where Emma was touching her.

Then Emma was pulling her upstairs, shouting something over her shoulder to Betsy that Alyssa didn’t really hear. She was far too focused on the blonde’s hand in hers. 

Alyssa suddenly found herself in Emma’s bedroom. Posters covered nearly every inch of wallspace that was available, but curled corners showed hints of soft green painted walls. There was a guitar lovingly held in its stand in the corner furthest from the bed next to a desk littered with sheet music and various scribbled-on pieces of notebook paper. 

Emma moved to her desk to put away some papers while Alyssa made herself comfortable on the floor. She pulled out her books and laid on her stomach, then smiled up at Emma who was looking at her curiously. 

“What?” Alyssa couldn’t help but giggle at the confused look on Emma’s face. 

Emma shook her head looking at the brunette, “Nothing. It’s just— you really made yourself at home, huh?” 

“Oh, sorry. I guess you just make me feel comfortable.” Alyssa shrugged. 

Emma blushed. Clearing her throat, she knelt down and pulled out her chemistry textbook before settling down onto her stomach next to Alyssa. “So, what do you need help with?” 

“Chemistry,” Alyssa said plainly. 

“I guess we should start at chapter one then.” Emma laughed, opening up the book. “But we definitely won’t be able to go over everything tonight, so I think we’re going to have to make this a weekly thing until midterms.” Her cheeks colored once again and she quickly declared “But only if that’s okay with you!” 

“If it means I’ll actually pass Chem and there’s pie, I’m in.” Alyssa nudged Emma’s shoulder with her own and they hit the books until Alyssa got a text from her mother asking where she was. 

The ride to the Greene house was quiet. Alyssa didn’t know quite what to say, and Emma seemed content just humming along to the radio. It wasn’t until they were sitting idle in front of the Greene home that Alyssa managed to say anything. 

“Thank you for this, Emma.” She managed to look at the blonde and swallowed down her butterflies at the sight of Emma glowing in the streetlight that was streaming through the windshield. “I— I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at school?” 

Emma nodded, looking down at her hands. “Sure. And are we good for another tutoring session on Wednesday? We can do the same thing, meet at the same place. I’ll drive, and…” She hesitated, the look on her face unreadable. “We can even wait until everyone’s gone like you did today so no one will see us together.” 

“No, Emma, that’s not why I waited. I—” Alyssa stumbled over her words to try and find a way to explain all the time she spent in the bathroom before going to the truck. With each moment that passed, Emma’s face fell further, and eventually she waved her hand dismissively.

“It’s fine, Alyssa,” Emma wouldn’t look at her. “I get it. I’ll see you later.” 

Alyssa didn’t know what to say, so she climbed out of the truck with a quiet “Bye” and watched it drive away. 

Their Wednesday study session was quiet. Emma made sure she was teaching as much as she could every lesson, but Alyssa knew she was actually trying to get rid of Alyssa as quickly as possible. Betsy made Greg bring the girls two slices of cherry pie. 

Next Monday was still tense. Emma coached Alyssa through balancing chemical equations. Greg brought blueberry pie. 

Wednesday was a little better. Emma laughed at Alyssa’s cheesy chemistry jokes as they tried to memorize the periodic table. Greg brought apple pie, and it made Alyssa think of the first time she came to study. The memory felt less heavy this week.

Alyssa went out of her way on Thursday to say hello to Emma in the hall, and was met with weird looks not only from Kaylee and Shelby, but Emma as well. Her friends asked her if she was trying to be nice to Emma to get on Greg’s good side — she didn’t answer. 

That next Monday had Alyssa sitting in the middle of the truck bench next to Emma. She couldn’t help but smile as the gentle rocking of the truck cab made their arms brush with each bump in the road. Emma was smiling too. They prepared for the upcoming peanut brittle lab as they joked and danced around the room to Emma’s favorite band. Greg brought up cookies this time, and gave them a weird look when they tried to bring him into the dance party. 

Tuesday meant lab day in Chemistry, and Mr. Derrill had decided to let the kids try and make some peanut brittle before they had to hunker down and study for their midterms. Emma was focused on the task at hand, smiling occasionally at whatever Greg was saying next to her. Alyssa, on the other hand, was horribly distracted by the look of serene focus on Emma’s face and the way that she would chew on her bottom lip when she was trying to process new information. Alyssa found herself so entranced by Emma Nolan that she didn’t notice the corn syrup starting to viciously bubble in the beaker. It wasn’t until she heard an enormous crack! that her mind crashed back to reality and Alyssa found herself covered in burnt sugar and shattered glass. 

“Alyssa!”

Startled, Alyssa turned to see Kaylee just as covered as her, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to pick the glass out of her hair. “This shirt is RUINED!” 

Heart racing, Alyssa tried her hardest to form words and apologize, but the adrenaline coursing through her body made her mouth far too dry to say anything. Mr. Derrill came over and was doing his best to calm Kaylee down, checking to see if she had any burns or cuts while Alyssa just sat there shaking. She didn’t know what to do.

“Hey, are you okay?” 

Alyssa found herself looking into worried hazel eyes that she had looked into twice a week over chemistry notes and pie. “Uh—” 

Two hands grabbed her own and Alyssa realized they were trembling. “Alyssa, you’re bleeding. Greg, can you get the broom?” 

Greg jumped up and found the broom in the back of the classroom that Mr. Derrill kept just in case of accidents like this. Alyssa felt her mind begin to clear as she glanced over herself and noticed red on her forearm. “Oh. Oh, shoot, I am.”

“Emma, can you take Alyssa down to the nurse’s office?” Mr. Derrill said over his shoulder, still tending to Kaylee. Emma nodded, sidestepped her cousin sweeping up the shards on the floor, and led Alyssa out of the room. 

They were half way down the hall when Emma finally asked what she had clearly wanted to say the entire time. “How the hell did you manage to blow up peanut brittle, Greene?” She couldn’t help but laugh, which made Alyssa relax a bit and smile. 

“I don’t know. Maybe my tutor isn’t as good as I thought.” She playfully pushed Emma in the shoulder. 

“I don’t think that’s it. Maybe you just got so distracted by my good looks.” Emma was clearly joking, but her words hit Alyssa straight in the chest. If she was going to finally say something, now was the time. 

“Maybe I was.” Alyssa said softly, pretending to inspect her arm. 

Emma stopped cold in front of the nurse’s office and started at Alyssa. “What?” 

“Maybe I was.” Alyssa finally made eye contact with Emma and saw something she wasn’t really expecting — hope. Flushing, she took a step back and put her hand on the door handle. “Thanks for walking me. I’ll talk to you later, Emma.”  
— —  
Alyssa nearly ran to Emma’s truck the next day. She was thoroughly distracted by the blonde leaning against the hood of her truck, but the lack of their third companion was noticeable enough to remark on. “Where’s the boy?” 

“Gran came and picked Greg up early. He wasn’t feeling good.” Emma shrugged. “I don’t know if he’s contagious, so I get it if you don’t want to go to my house. Could we go to your place today?”

Eyes widening, Alyssa shook her head violently. The last thing she needed was for her mother to meet Emma — it would ruin any chance that Alyssa had with her. If there was any chance at all. “I won’t make you meet Veronica Greene. I like you too much to make you go through that.” 

Emma looked down at her shoes and turned away, but Alyssa saw a blush and couldn’t help but grin as they climbed into the truck. “Well, if my house is off limits, and I’m being shielded from yours, I guess we could—” Emma turned the key in the ignition without finishing her thought. 

“Could what?” 

“You’ll see.” Emma flashed a smile at Alyssa that made her heart melt just a little. 

“I’ll ‘see’? Emma I-don’t-know-your-middle-name-yet Nolan, if you’re taking me to some undisclosed location to kill me and dump the body, I need you to know that that would completely ruin the dynamic we have going.”

Emma laughed heartily. “Jean.” 

“What?” 

“My middle name. It’s Jean,” Emma said. “And I’m not going to kill you, I’m going to help you kill this midterm. Now, Alyssa Greene, do you trust me?” 

There was a sparkle in Emma’s eyes that made Alyssa’s mouth go dry. She nodded and Emma pulled the truck out of the parking lot, but instead of taking the right that led them further into town, they took a left. 

“Em, why are we going to the lake?” 

“Trusting,” Emma sang, and Alyssa chuckled.

The girls chatted about school and all the drama on the cheer team as the truck bumped down a dusty country road. Emma only slowed down when they caught sight of the lake, turning in on a small, overgrown path. She turned the car off and swung her bag over her shoulder. “Come on, I wanna show you something.” 

Alyssa grabbed her backpack and followed Emma into the high grass. “What is it?” 

“Just trust me.” Emma threw a smile at Alyssa, a mischievous glint in her eye. “And don’t you even think about telling anyone about this spot or I will actually kill you and dump your body at an undisclosed location.” 

Alyssa huffed indignantly, but a grin tugged at her lips as they continued on. The foliage reaching out on either side made the path a bit difficult to handle, but when Emma glanced behind her with another smile, Alyssa knew she would follow that girl to the ends of the earth if she kept looking at her like that.

A few minutes later, Alyssa pushed back a few brambles and was met with a gorgeous view of the lake, and an even more gorgeous view of a serene Emma Nolan, hair moving gently in the afternoon breeze. “Whoa.” 

Emma gazed over the lake. “Beautiful, right?” 

“Stunning,” Alyssa said, still looking at Emma. 

“My grandpa used to take me here.” Emma said softly, moving to sit on the picnic bench and motioning for Alyssa to sit next to her. “Whenever I had a bad day at school or if my parents were fighting he would put me in the truck and we’d get ice cream and sit here and watch the sunset.” 

Alyssa couldn’t help but reach out and hold Emma’s hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “Thank you for bringing me here, Em.” 

“It’s been my go-to study place, never gotten anything under a 95 for anything I’ve studied here — I felt like you could use some of that luck too.” Emma looked down at their conjoined hands and then looked at Alyssa with something sparkling in those hazel eyes that Alyssa hadn’t seen before. There was something about it that was drawing Alyssa in closer to the blonde. 

It took a moment for her to realize Emma was getting closer too. She wasn’t drawing back. She was leaning in towards Alyssa. Every fiber of Alyssa’s being was screaming at her to close the distance between them. They were telling her to take the leap and take a risk. And for the first time in her life, Alyssa listened. 

Kissing Emma Nolan was what Alyssa had always imagined flying would feel like. Her stomach swooped low and left her almost breathless at the feeling. Emma’s glasses pressed against the bridge of Alyssa’s nose, but Alyssa didn’t mind. She wouldn’t change a single thing about this moment for the entire world. 

Way too soon, Emma pulled away and rested her forehead against Alyssa’s. “Uh...should we start studying?” 

Alyssa’s head was still foggy by all things Emma. As much as she knew she needed to study, she needed to kiss the amazing girl in front of her as much as she could. “Not yet,” she mumbled, putting her hands on Emma’s cheeks and pressing their lips together once again. 

They stayed like that for the next hour, pulling each other back in for “just one more” sweet kiss. Eventually, Emma managed to find the self-restraint that Alyssa for sure didn’t have at the moment, and insisted that they studied. 

They didn’t talk much as they worked side-by-side and watched the sun set. It was as if they knew any sort of conversation about what would happen tomorrow would burst the bubble they had at the moment. It wasn’t until Alyssa looked down at Emma’s hand in hers that she said, “I’m glad I’m here with you, Emma.” 

“Me too, Lys.” 

Alyssa squeezed her hand. “And I want to come back here with you.”

Emma met her eyes. “Really?”

“Really.”

With a radiant smile, Emma leaned in and touched her nose to Alyssa’s. “I mean, as long as we have chemistry together…”

Alyssa chuckled. “Please shut up.”

“Make me.”

“Gladly.”


End file.
